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MAIMONIDES

“One only loves the Holy One blessed be He through the knowledge of Him. This love is commensurate to the knowledge. If the knowledge is little, the love will be little; and if the knowledge is great, the love will be great. Thus, it is imperative for a person to dedicate himself to understand and contemplate the wisdom and knowledge that inform him of his Creator.” (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Teshuvah 10:6)

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On Divine Inspiration – Chapter 30

The fourth level is the aspect of the intentional point of the mind, which as yet, is higher than the felt excitement of the heart; similar to what was mentioned above concerning the fourth level of the natural soul, in which one’s mind and heart are engrossed to their full depth in the essential awesomeness of the good thing etc. In such a case his entire soul is so drawn after it that it does not yet manifest as excitement within the heart etc. This is called, “Intellectual fear and love” which is excitement of the concept itself, rather than excitement from the brief summation of the concept (which is called, “The Therefore”).

Now, the essential excitement of the heart, mentioned above, must come about spontaneously and without premeditation, just as, for example, the excitement of joy that causes the reflexive clapping of the hands comes about spontaneously etc. Likewise this “singing out” of the heart of flesh, comes about automatically, as does every essential excitement, for spontaneity is the primary indicator of essential excitement. Moreover, excitement of the heart has a more inner level too, when it is drawn specifically after the distilled intention of the mind, this being the aspect of the depth of intention within the comprehension.

(In Kabbalistic terms, this is known as the aspect of the Yesod of Abba within the Yesod of Zeir Anpin[1], which is called, “The intention of the heart” because it originates in the potential intent of the illumination of Abba within one’s mind. It is also called, “Love of delights”. This refers to the hidden delight within the depth of the concept being comprehended etc.)

Albeit, the excitement of the heart is not comparable to the essential excitement of the inner intent of the mind, in which the intention, which is the conceptual point itself, becomes excited.

(As explained elsewhere, this is the “voice of Moshe”, which is higher than the singing of the Levites. Their song was according to thelength of the comprehension, in which the melody comes arranged according to contemplation with a lengthy development of the explanation, in which many different modalities are arranged into the movements of the melody. Such is not the case regarding the voice of the movements of the melody that results from the inner Heyulie point of the concept itself. This sound is only an indicator for the distillation of the concept and the delight hidden within it. At such time it does not come arranged and with a development of a length. Rather, it is one very spontaneous movement. It is called, “The unheard voice”, meaning that it is altogether impossible to feel it and it never ceases. About this the verse states, “So that my soul will sing to You and never be stilled, HaShem my G_d, I will acknowledge You forever.”[2] This, then, is the level of song that Moshe, the faithful shepherd sang etc.)

This intention is higher than the aspect of the length and breadth of the comprehension of Binah, but is rather only into the essence of the Divine light, in and of itself, rather than one’s comprehension and understanding of it. Nevertheless, it does subsequently spread down into the aspect of comprehension. The Zohar generally calls it, “The duplicate song” of Chochmah and Binah, which is the aspect of the ascension of the soul that is in the brain when it delights in HaShem within the depths of “the concept that includes all the particulars of the chaining down of the worlds” etc.

This intention contains the essential and simple delight of the essence and simplicity of the Divine soul and is the root of the matter of the Shabbat prayers, as written, “Then shall you delight in HaShem”,[3] this being higher than the weekday prayers.

Generally, the principle purpose of prayer is to clarify and purify the natural soul. This is called toil and clarification. However, this only applies when the radiance of the Divine soul reaches the physical heart, because the principle abode of the Ruach and Nefesh of the natural soul is in the left chamber of the heart of flesh etc.

However, the brain, which is the abode of the Divine soul, is where the aspect of the service of the Divine soul itself takes place, as it ascends to the source from which it was hewn, by means of a simple and essential song within the Chochmah and Binah of the soul.This song is called, “The duplicate song”. Similarly, every day of the week, a glimmer of the light of Shabbat glows during the recitation of the “Shma”.

It is because of this that there is a profound difference between the excitement of love during the recitation of the “Shma” compared to the excitement of love when reciting the verses of Psalms during the morning service. This is because in the Psalms of the morning service the love comes from the brain to the heart in a manner that is felt. This is similar to the excitement of the angels when they proclaim, “Holy, holy, holy”[4] in a tumultuous voice. Regarding this the verse states, “Exaltations of G_d are in their throats”[5], – specifically in their throats – because the throat connects the brain to the heart, so that the excitement is felt etc.

During the recitation of “Shma”, on the other hand, we say, “Listen O Israel”[6]. This is a directive to the Divine soul to give its life up for G_d with the word, “One”. The following word, “And you shall love”[7], is a transitional verb – meaning that we are to bring this love into the natural soul too, as our sages commented that it is incumbent upon us to love HaShem with both inclinations [the Yetzer Tov and the Yetzer HaRa].

However, this all is an essential excitement of the intentional point of the mind, whereas the felt excitement of love in the heart, which is called, “The Palace of Love”, is merely included in it. As known, the love of the heart is compared to a palace or a vessel, because it is sublimated to the essential excitement of the intentional point, in which one’s mind becomes totally engrossed, to its length and breadth. This is similar to what was mentioned above concerning the fourth level of the natural soul etc.

Since this level is more inner and essential than the previous levels, therefore it comes in a way that is even less felt, so that he has even less awareness of self. All this is known by experience to anyone who has tasted the essential delight of Divine depth of comprehension during prayer. This level is a more inner degree of Divine inspiration.

Generally speaking, this is the Chaya level of the Divine soul. It is the “Potential for what” of Chochmah of the Divine soul, which, in turn, is illumined by a glimmer from Mazla and Tzelem, which are altogether above intellect, even above Chochmah. This is the aspect of the encompassing light of Chaya, within which the additional Shabbat soul rests. This additional soul is the aspect of the encompassing light of the Yechidah and is the highest level of the Divine soul. It spreads down as far as Zeir Anpin. However, it does not radiate in a revealed way at all; only in a remote, hidden fashion. It is the inner aspect of the fifth and highest level of the Divine soul and is called, “The Simple Song”, as will be explained with G_d’s help. This is sufficient for those of understanding.

[1] For a full explanation of the terms “Atik”, “Arich”, “Abba”, “Ima”, “Zeir Anpin” and “Nukvah”, see our book “The Knowledge of G_d” or our commentary on “Shaar HaYichud” of the Mittler Rebbe.